Advertising device



v.lune 16, 4925.- 1,542,738

J. M. sMrrH ADVERTI S INQ DEVICE Filed March 10, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l mw: a 1 MMM WITNESS:

ATTORNEY' June 16,1925 .l A 1.542.738

J. M. SMITH ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed arch 10. 1924 2 sheets-smet' 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY WITNESS 'Patented June 16, 1925.

UNITED, vSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

'JOHN M. SMITH, or- RALEIGH, NORTH (insonnia.

' .ADVERTISING DEVICE.

Application .fledMarch 10, 1924. Serial No. 698,247.

\ vertising matter, the device beingequipped with `means for swinging the successive plates or signs into display position.

An important and more specific object is the provision of a device of this character including a stationarytrack on whichthe swingable signs travel, the device further including a rotary shaft driven by a cup windmill Yand having a cam controlled arm for moving the successive plates. f

A further object is the provision of a device of this character which will make a very attractive and conspicuous display so that the advertising value will be correspondingly great while the'entire effect is unique. i 2

An additional object is the provision of a device of this character which will be comparatively simple and inexpensive in manufacture, ypositive in action, eiiicient and durable in service and a general improvement in the art. 4

"With .thev above and other objects and advantages in view the invention consists in the details of construction to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in

which:

Figure 1 is a plete device,

Figure 2 is a horizontal section therethrough on the line 2 2 of Figure V1,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation, Figure 4 is a detail view showing the cam action of the shifting arm, n

Figure 5 is a detail section showing the governor, y

Figure 6 is a detail view of a catch device. Referring more particularly lto the'drawings the numeral 10 designates a hollow perspective view of the comsupporting base provided at its bottom with a step bearing 11 for the lower end of'a vertical operating shaft 12 which has its upper end carrying a windmill orA windwheel formed of radial funnel shapedcups 14.

Secured Vupon and rising from thebase 10 in divergent relation are braces 15 which arms 13 carrying support Vafstationary track 16 which is l semi-circular in shape. On the shaftare spaced collars 17 above which are located rings 18 whichloosely encircle the shaftand which are prevented from downward slipping by the collars 17.

I provide a plurality of sign plates 19 which bear any. desired advertising matter and which are provided with screw eyes or' the like 2()v pivotally and slidably engaged upon the rings 18. By this means it will be seen that the sign plates are freely swingable so as to be disposed at either side of the shaft 12 as clearly indicated. The lower outer corners of the plates carry small brackets 21 within which are journaled` rollers 22 traveling on the track 16 for guiding the plates during their swinging movement. At the upper corners of the plates are laterallyextending rods or wires 23 which carry co-acting buffers 24 which operate to hold the plates in properly spaced relation..

Secured upon and rising from the base 10 is a cam structure including upright legs 25 supporting a ring 26 which has one portion 27 elevated with respect to the remaining portion. Pivoted on'the shaft at 28 is an armV 29 having its lintermediate portion curved to. define abearing member 30 which rides along the cam ring 26. -When this arm is on the lower portion of the cam ring, the free end is out ofthe path of travel of the plates whereas when the bearing 30 is on thevhigher portion 27 of the ring the free end of the arm isvin position to engage a plate and kmove it` from one side of the shaft to the other. It is of course obvious that the rise to the higher portion of the ring must be located carefully with 'respect to the series of plates soy that thearm 29 will be raised at the exact point to permit it to engage the end most plate.

For regulating the speed I provide a drum 31 within the hollow base with which co-acts a pair of fly balls 32 on the free ends of leaf springs 33 secured to theshaft so that when the speed of the shaft 12 becomes excessive these fly balls will bear frictionally4 against the drum 31 and retard the movement.

In the operation it is apparent that the wind-wheel causes the shaft 12 to rotate, carrying with it the arm 29. Then the arm approaches the rise to the high portion 2"( of the ring it is moved upwardly so that its free end will engage the end most one of the plates 19 and swing it through an an are of 18()o so that it becomes the last of the series instead of the rst. At this time the arm descends from the high portion 27 of the ring so that its end is retracted from engagement with the sign plate. As each plate is swung, it strikes against the previously swung plates and the momentum is suflicient to move the entire series slightly so that there will always be one plate readv to be y'engaged bythe arm 29 upon upward movement thereof.

Toprevent. accidental swinging back of the sign plates during their movement, I provide a catch device at the receiving end of the track. The catch device ishere represented as consisting of a pawl member 33 pivoted betweenears 3st on the track 16 and having a depending stem .35 carrying a ball or other weight 36. The pivotal mounting is such that when the inclined surface of the pawl is engaged by the successive sign plates during their movement, the pawl will swing and permit the rollers on the signs to pass onto'the track. If, however, there should be any tendency ofthe sign plates to move back off the track, the rollers 22 will engage the pawl 33 'and be held against such unda sired movement.

z lVhile VI have shown and described the device as equipped with a windwheel for providing the motive power, it is` obvious that use-may be made of an electric motor, a spring V.motor Vor other equivalent drive mechanism. It is of course `to be understood that I reserve'the right to make such changes in the forni, construction and arrangementof parts as will not depart from the spirit of the invention Ior the scope of' lthe subjoined claims.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a base, a 4vertical shaft journaled therein, a c up windw-heel on the upper end of the shaft, stop collars on the shaft, rings loosely .encirclingfthe shaftabove thestop collars, a stationary track, a plurality of sign plates pivoted: and slidable upon said rings and carrying rollers traveling on the track, a cam mountedk above the base, and a pivoted arm on the shaft traveling on said cam and movable thereby into upwardly extended position whereby ,to engage a sign plate and swing it from one side of the shaft to the other.

2. In a device of the character described, a base, a vertical shaft journaled therein, a cup windwh'eel on the upper end of the shaft, stop collars on the shaft, rings loosely encircling the shaft above the stop collars, a stationary track, a plurality of sign plates pivoted and slidable upon said rings and carrying rollers traveling on the track, a cam mounted above the base, and a pivoted -arm on the shaft traveling on said cam and movable' thereby to upwardly extended position whereby to engage a sign plate and swing it from one side of the shaft to the other, and buffers located at the upper corners of the plates andengageable with one another whereby to space the plates apart and to communicate to the successive plate the impact of a moved plate whereby to move all the plates.

3. In a device of the character described., a base', a vertical shaft journaled therein, means for rotating the shaft, stop collars on the shaft, rings loosely encircling the shaft. above the stop collars, a stationary track, a plurality ofsign plates pivoted and slidable vupon said rings, and carrying rollers traveling along the track, a cam mounted above the base, and a pivoted arm on the vshaft traveling on said cam and movable thereby into upwardly extended position whereby to engage a sign plate and swing 4it4 from one side'of the shaft tothe other.

4. In a device of the character described, a vertical shaft journaled therein, a plurality of sign plates pivotally vsupported from the shaft, a stationary curved track pivoted above the base and serving tosupport they lower ends of the sign plates, a stationary cam member supported above the base in encircling relation to the shaft, and a vertically-swingable arm pivoted upon the shaft and coacting with said cam, said cam acting to swing the arm upwardly into engagement between successive plates whereby to swing the plates from one side of the shaft to the other.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

JOHN M. SMITH. 

